Chronological History of the American Civil War

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St. Louis for the Confederacy. The Union, today using “contraband labor” or freed slaves, started work digging a canal on the James Rivers to bypass fortified Confederate defenses at Richmond. Tuesday, September 27, 1864 : General Price (CSA) launches an all-out assault on Fort Davidson, at Pilot Knob, Missouri. After a day full of assaults, that night the Union officers decided the fort was not worth keeping, and they and their men sneak out without being seen. General Price (CSA) won this battle, but lost over a 1,000 men, lost time and left the Union army mostly in tack. This not only cost him time and men, but his chances of taking St. Louis. A little further west in Missouri at Centralia, William Anderson, better known in those days as the guerilla raider “Bloody Bill” Anderson, is leading an attack there along with 60 to 70 other raiders; including two men we all know, the James Brothers, Frank and Jesse James. Before the morning is over, they will loot and burn the town, then outside of town, stop and rob the train belonging to North Missouri Railroad, and here they discover and shoot 24 unarmed Union soldiers and finish up by burning the train. That afternoon Anderson and his gang meet up with several hundred more guerilla fighters and catch Union Major A. V. E. Johnston (U.S.) and his 39th Missouri Infantry (Mounted) in a trap. Major Johnston, (U.S.) and his command are lured into an open field surrounded on three sides by gullies and dense foliage, deep enough to conceal most of Bloody Bill Anderson’s men and horses. When it was over Major Johnston and approximately 150 of his men will die in the battle. Wednesday, September 28, 2014 : President Davis (CSA) approves General Hood's (CSA) request to relieve General William Hardee. Even though Hardee was the most able corps commander, Davis personally selected Hood to command the Army of Tennessee in July, and refused to admit his mistake. On his return trip to the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, Davis gives a speech at Columbia, South Carolina, in which he overpraises about Hood’s prospects. In doing so, he let slip important information, and that can never be a good thing. The Yankees and Rebels around Petersburg, Virginia continue to incur losses as snipers pick off men on both sides of the siege lines. General Forrest (CSA) is riding north now in Tennessee. Thursday, September 29, 1864 : From the very beginning of the war, Confederate engineers and slave laborers constructed permanent defenses around Richmond, one was overlooking the James River at Chaffin’s Bluff. General Grant (U.S.) had attacked here before without success. Today, he will attack at New Market and Chaffin’s Farm. Grant (U.S.) sends troops north of the James River to attack at the Chaffin’s Farm, also small Fort Harrison is captured by the Union, fighting continues at New Market and at Laurel Hill. At Confederate Fort Gilmer (CSA) the South finally halts the Union advances, and the Confederate lines are stretched to the breaking point. Union forces took three miles of land in just one day in their attack on Richmond. General Lee believes, that he was delaying the inevitable. At Waynesboro, Virginia, Lieut. General Jubal A. Early (CSA) and Major General Philip H. Sheridan (U.S.) continue to fight. Some fighting near Lynchburg, Tennessee with General Forrest. (There is no record of either side stopping to see Jack Daniels or having any world famous Tennessee liquor.) Friday, September 30, 1864 : Acting Master, John C. Braine (CSN) actions caused the Richmond government (CSA) concern and embarrassment, since his expedition was organized and carried out from the neutral port of Havana. Instead of boarding the Steamer Roanoke as a passenger in New York, however, he chose to capture her on the Havana end of the voyage. With a small group of Confederates, he was able to overwhelm the ship’s officers and